Reeling In
by WildwingSuz
Summary: When Mulder backs out on her, Skinner accompanies Scully to the Navy-Marine Corps ball—much to her partner’s dismay.


**Author's Notes: **The event/charity in this story is a real one, although other than that everything (location, description of events, etc) is fiction. Hopefully this one quiets down the Skinner fans who are constantly bugging me to write from his POV…! Takes place in March 1999 – right between Monday and Alpha.

**Music Notes:** Thanks_ so much_ to my friend Bonnie Robb for sending me the classical music CD "Yellowstone" by Frantisek Novotny for Christmas a couple of years back; this music is absolutely invaluable for writing. I did the last quarter of this story listening to it and know I couldn't have written this ending without it.

**Spoilers: ** None

**Synopsis: ** When Mulder backs out on her, Skinner accompanies Scully to the Navy-Marine Corps ball—much to her partner's dismay.

Thanks as always to my betas Cory and Alia—the two of you whip these stories into readable shape even if you do give me contrary advice on the commas ;-)

**Reeling In**  
By Suzanne L. Feld  
Rated PG for language

I paused as the elevator doors slid shut behind me and listened to the raised voices echoing down the hallway.

"You don't forget _anything_, Mulder! I can't believe this!"

"Just because I have a photographic memory doesn't mean I don't forget things, Scully. I remember you asking me now that you've reminded me, I just can't go."

"What's so damn important? Another exciting night of D&D with the Gunmen or that new double-feature over at the Pussy Willow?"

"None of your damn business! You're my partner, not my wife—"

"Not in this life!"

A loud snort. "No big surprise you're not married, Scully, you're as shrill as a fishwife."

"Kiss my ass, Mulder. Enjoy whatever the hell is more important than keeping a promise to me about something I've been looking forward to for _weeks_."

Jesus, they were really going at it; I rarely heard them this angry at each other. I heard heels tapping on linoleum and got my feet moving towards the office. As it was, Dana nearly plowed into me as she came stomping out of the doorway. I grabbed her by the upper arms before she slammed into me, saying, "Whoa, there, Agent Scully. Everything all right?"

She stepped back as I let go of her, tugging at the bottom of her dark blue blazer to straighten it. "Sorry. Nothing a lobotomy on my partner wouldn't solve, sir," she mumbled, glaring back into the office over her shoulder. Behind her I saw Mulder frowning at us before he sat down behind the desk.

"What's the problem, Agents?" I said in my best stern-boss voice, shooing her back into the office.

"Personal business, sir, nothing that will interfere with the job," she said as she went to stand to one side.

"That's not what I asked." I leaned one shoulder against the doorway, crossed my arms over my chest, and looked back and forth between them. "What has you two sniping at each other like an old married couple?"

Scully flushed a dull red, throwing another pointed glare at Mulder who ignored her. "If you must know, sir, Agent Mulder had agreed to accompany me to an important event that I didn't have a date for and, as of fifteen minutes ago, he has reneged on his promise."

"I forgot and since have double-booked," he said angrily, glaring back at her over the desk lamp. "So sue me."

"If you do that you're supposed to cancel the second event," I pointed out. I felt like an elementary school teacher mediating a pair of children.

"I can't. I… uh, have something else to do I can't break," he said lamely, not looking at either of us.

"Which leaves Agent Scully dateless for an important event," I surmised and then turned to look down at her. "What is it?"

"The Navy-Marine Corps Ball," she said, glancing up at me. "It's a fundraiser for the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society. My mother donates to them every year although she hasn't gone to the ball since my father passed away. Normally she gives the tickets to one of my brothers but they're both at sea this year so I got them."

"When is it?" I asked.

"Saturday. It came up today because I reminded Mulder to rent a tux," she said with another dark glare at him. God, I wouldn't have wanted to be in his shoes right now and I couldn't imagine what in Heaven's name he had to do that was worth getting her this pissed off at him. Or important enough to miss seeing her all dolled up in a formal evening gown!

"I do believe I'm free this upcoming Saturday night," I said, which caused her to look up at me in clear surprise. It was already Wednesday so no wonder she was angry at him. "If you don't mind I'd be glad to accompany you."

Her surprised look turned into an answering smile. "That would be wonderful, sir, thank you," she said. "Are you sure your wife—"

"We're, ah, separated again, probably for good this time," I sighed, not having realized when I made the offer that that this might come up. I held a hand up, adding, "Trust me, it's for the best. Anyway, Agent Scully, email me the details when you get a chance. In the meantime I came down to find out why I didn't have the report for the Cromwell case on my desk half an hour ago as promised. I have my answer but now I'd like that report, Agents."

***

Although I would never have admitted it even upon pain of death I was rather excited to be taking Dana Scully to this event. I even owned a tux since I used to wear it often enough to justify the expense so I didn't have to bother with renting one. I found the shirt a little tight around the shoulders and chest but not uncomfortably so; I had been working out and boxing a lot more since the separation and hadn't worn the tux in a good year or more.

That evening I picked Scully up at her apartment at five-thirty; cocktail hour started at six with dinner at seven and dancing and general socializing afterward until whenever. I was excited but not really nervous; I knew nothing would come of this evening even if I'd seriously considered it because I knew where Scully's heart lay even if she didn't. Still, getting this evening with her was special to me and I planned to treat her that way. If nothing else, I was certain that these days she was rarely treated like the beautiful woman she was.

When she opened the door it was all I could do not to gape; in the last six years I had seen Dana Scully look a lot of different ways but never like this. First of all she had her hair up in a pulled-back style I'd never seen it in before but which really showed off her neck and bare shoulders. Second of all she was wearing a floor-length strapless dress, which I'd also never seen her in before. The dress was smooth black satin with a sparkly silver band around the top that, I couldn't help but notice, completely covered yet clearly outlined her full breasts and came to a point just below and between them. It clung snugly to her figure to below her hips where it flared out into a draped skirt to the floor.

For jewelry she was wearing only a pair of tiny diamond stud earrings and a wide, fine-link silver bracelet on one wrist. The understated jewelry was absolutely perfect with the dress, although I missed seeing the tiny gold cross at the base of her throat. Only seconds had passed while I stared and I recovered quickly. "Dana. You look lovely tonight." Jesus, that was the understatement of the year, I thought.

"You look very nice yourself, Walter. Please, come in while I get my wrap."

I stood just inside the door, looking around. When I thought about it, I realized that this was the first time I'd been in her apartment without there being some kind of problem, such as her abduction or Mulder's abduction or some other emergency.

She came out of the bedroom wrapping a black lace shawl shot with silver threads around her bare shoulders, then picked up a small black evening bag that matched her dress. "Shall we?"

I held the door for her, waited while she locked both locks, then we walked back out to where I had a cab waiting. "You're not driving?" she asked as I handed her in.

"No, it's not that far from here and I only live twenty minutes away, so why bother with parking and all that?" I said, getting in next to her. "Braxton Ballroom on Woodward Parkway," I told the cabbie, and relaxed back into the cracked plastic seat. "I thought about getting a limo but was afraid that might be too ostentatious."

She smiled at me, holding her purse in her lap with both hands. "Depends on who you're trying to impress," she said. "And since neither of us is likely to know anyone there, the cab was a good choice." God, she was such a stunningly beautiful woman and if I didn't know how she felt about Mulder I certainly would have made this a night of romance instead of one between two friends like I had planned. But even though she kept it from herself I knew that Dana Scully was deeply in love with her partner, and he with her. It was crazy the way they wore their hearts on their sleeves and everyone could see it but them. The way they looked at each other, how fiercely protective they were of each other, and most of all how they worked so flawlessly together despite their frequent disagreements told the whole story.

But as long as it stayed out of the office I was willing to ignore it, and I didn't consider their quarrel over this evening to be that. I was positive that they hadn't had sex—hell, they probably hadn't even really kissed yet—but knew it was only a matter of time until they did. I kept an eye on them for that change, knowing that when it happened I might have to make a difficult decision but hoping I wouldn't even notice.

We were quiet on the rest of the few minutes' drive to the ballroom where the event was being held, but it was a comfortable silence unlike the ones that often fell between the three of us in my office. I found it interesting that I was more comfortable with her away from work than I was _at_ work when I'd thought it would be just the opposite.

The Braxton Ballroom was a large, glass-walled, brightly lit building just outside Arlington National Cemetery and it only took about ten minutes to get there, which would not have been the case had it been a workday. We joined a line of cabs waiting to unload at the main entrance and I couldn't resist remarking, "Ostentatious or not, I'm thinking a limo might have been better. At least we could have watched TV or had a drink while waiting in this line."

She grinned up at me, white teeth sparkling. "Something tells me that no one wanted to be the designated driver tonight."

"I think you're right," I agreed, placing the fare plus a generous tip in the tray as we pulled up to the entrance. Luckily the long line moved much faster than I'd thought it would. As I got out of the cab, I happened to be looking towards the side of the building where there was a line of decorative potted bushes shaped into swirls and other shapes, and noted someone ducking away around them. Had that been _Mulder_? I thought as I turned to help Scully out. It had certainly looked like him in the brief glance I'd gotten: tall, dark-haired, black clothing. Would he be here, sneaking about in the shrubbery to watch us? Possibly. I certainly wouldn't put it past him.

As we went inside sandwiched between two other couples I was wondering if I'd really seen him or if it had just been a shadow from the many cars going up and down the street. Then I glanced over at one of the floor-to-ceiling windows which looked out on the front walk and, sure enough, I saw Mulder's unmistakable profile briefly but clearly as he once again darted behind the decorative bushes.

Hadn't he mentioned that he'd had something to do tonight that he couldn't cancel? I wondered. Next, should I tell Dana about it? After a few moments of consideration while standing in line to present our tickets I decided not to; although I was damn sure of what I'd seen, if I was wrong I'd look like an idiot and I didn't need that. Besides, why wreck her evening?

I glanced around as we entered the brightly lit ballroom, Dana holding my arm lightly. The room sparkled with crystal and glass, ice sculptures on the hors d'oeuvres buffet tables and snowy tapers in glass candlesticks among the white-flowered centerpieces on the tables. The women's dresses were all colors of the rainbow but the men were, without fail, in black suits or Navy or Marine dress blue uniforms. Two gigantic crystal chandeliers just below the high ceiling threw prisms everywhere and reflected back the tiny flames of the candles on the tables below.

We were led to our table, which was for six people but otherwise empty, and I went to get us drinks as soon as Dana was seated. When I returned the other four chairs were occupied by pair of spit-shined, crewcut young Marines and their dates, chattering amongst themselves and totally ignoring her. But Dana was giving as good as she got, with her back turned to the rude kids to watch the few dancers already on the floor.

I handed her a glass and seated myself to her left. I also turned my back to the table and gave her my full attention, asking after her mother and brothers, and we had quite the interesting discussion about Navy/Marine life from both civilian dependant and service points of view.

Dinner was served shortly thereafter and while not bad, it was your basic wedding/shower/fundraiser mass-produced fare: thinly sliced but still tough roast beef, tasteless gravy, instant mashed potatoes, and soggy corn. I finished mine, however, since I'd already had three martinis and planned to have more during the evening. I noted that Dana did as well, although she'd had one drink to my three.

As soon as dinner was cleared away the dancing started in earnest and we hit the floor among the hundreds of other couples. I wasn't surprised to discover that she was a smoothly accomplished dancer and found out that the differences in our height gave me an interesting view. Although the bodice of her dress did cover her breasts completely, it gapped away in the middle and if I was in the right position I could look straight down into her cleavage. The waltz turned out to be the right position and I tried not to look too often, but it was a temptation I couldn't resist perhaps as much as I should have.

After a few slow and medium tempo dances the band began to play something fast and very loud—probably contemporary—as I had never heard it before, and with no more than a look at each other we left the dance floor and returned to the table. The gaggle of young twentysomethings was gone leaving behind a mess of empty glasses, but it was so loud in the hall that we couldn't hear each other and I had to lean over close when she tried to talk to me. "Let's go out on the patio and get some fresh air," she half-yelled, her breath warm against the side of my face. "Stuffy in here."

I just nodded in response and stood, following her through the mostly-empty tables to the open-air patio at the back of the room with our drinks in hand. When we stepped out the first thing I noticed was the fresh scent of rain; though nothing was presently coming down, droplets sparkled all around us and the cement beneath our feet was shiny and damp. I wondered if our Peeping Tom had gotten wet, looking around but not seeing any suspicious moving shadows for the time being. With any luck he'd left and she would never know he'd even been here spying on her.

The smokers were congregated just outside the door but she moved past them to the far end. The patio was a fenced, rectangular-patterned cement slab, a few wrought-iron tables and tall black ashtrays scattered here and there, all shiny or spotted from the recent rain. Low round lights were placed at intervals outside the fence with more of the ubiquitous greenery beyond them, dark night surrounding all. "Jesus it's loud in there," she said as we stopped near the railing at the far end. "My ears are ringing. I didn't think it got this rowdy."

"There're a lot of young sailors on leave here," I observed, sipping my drink as I looked back through the tall, wide windows. "But then, make hay while the sun shines _was_ always our motto."

Dana laughed, turning to face the building as well. I heard the bushes rustle and glanced over to see something dark moving away from us, but luckily she didn't appear to notice. That partner of hers was going to regret ruining our evening if I caught him, I vowed to myself. I wasn't however, going to say anything to Dana unless she spotted him and mentioned it. "That's why both of my brothers are married with families, I bet," she said. "They're not the type to have a girl in every port. Were you, Walter?"

"I didn't travel much while I was in the service; Vietnam, Japan, and here. I was in a combat unit," I explained. "Sharon and I got married right after I got back from Vietnam and she was the only one for me until… well, you know." I was melancholy thinking about how we'd been a deeply in love, hopeful young couple back in the early seventies compared to how we'd ended up; it could have been worse. At least we were still speaking to each other, but it was still poignant.

"I'm sorry I brought it up," Scully said, reaching over to rest one small hand on my arm. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"No, no, don't worry about it," I squeezed her hand and then she let go. "Seemed like no matter what I did it was never enough; I think we'd gone past the point of no return before we split up the first time and just didn't want to let go. Both of us are happier this way, believe me."

"So… are you, ah, dating?" she asked in an all-too-nonchalant voice.

My heart jumped. I heard the bushes behind us rustle again but paid little attention to it as I mulled over what this question could mean. "I… haven't yet," I finally replied, not looking at her. "It's only been a few weeks since I moved out again and I don't really feel up to it."

In a more normal tone of voice she said, "I have a friend I think you'd like, and who would like you. Let me know when you're ready and maybe we can all double-date."

"And who will you be with?" I smiled down at her, catching on. "Another blind date?"

"Only if that jerk stands me up again," she said, flashing a quick grin up at me. "We don't call them dates, though. It's just friends hanging out."

"Right," I smiled back, swirling the swizzle stick around in my empty martini glass. "Do you think he'll ever call it anything else?"

She glanced around and then shook her head. "I don't know, Walter. Cancelling on me like he did tonight isn't helping."

"Patience," I counseled. "It isn't easy to reel in the Wild Male Animal, but eventually you can capture and domesticate them if you can wait out their idiocy."

She laughed out loud briefly, a true, hearty laugh and a sound I heard all too rarely, then put her hand over her mouth and smiled up at me around it. "I know he thinks it'll be the end of our partnership if we end up as more than friends…"

"It won't be unless you two flaunt it," I said bluntly. "I'm not splitting you up unless someone complains. I'd be crazy to, to be quite honest."

"Really?" Her delicately arched brows went up. Then she flashed me that grin again. "If I didn't know better, Walter, I'd swear you were rooting for us to get together."

I shrugged. "I'm not against it, that's for sure. Dana, I know you probably don't realize it but you and Mulder are closer than most married couples I know, and it's damn clear how you feel about each other. I think if you can ever bring him to bay it would be the best thing in the world for you two."

"Bring _him_ to bay? More like get me to stop worrying about how he'd treat me in the field if we did have a… romantic relationship," she sighed, glancing around again. "I can see him doing one of two things. Either ditching me more than he does now to keep me safe or starting to treat me like a fragile flower instead of an equal agent. Either would be a disaster no matter how you look at it."

"I don't know that he would," I pointed out thoughtfully. "Those who know you, Dana, know you're as fully capable as any male agent and more so than most. I doubt that Mulder would make that mistake."

When I glanced back at her she was just turning her face towards me and cut her eyes to the right. I got it and stood up straight, putting my arm out to her as I set my glass on the black iron railing with the other. "Would you care for the next dance as long as it's not something annoyingly loud and fast next?"

"I would _love_ to," she purred, setting her glass beside mine and sliding her hand into the crook of my elbow. "You are a wonderful dancer, Walter. I hope they're playing something we can waltz to."

As we walked back to the doors leading inside I heard that rustle of greenery again and we exchanged a glance; the corners of her mouth were twitching and I'm sure mine were, too.

After several more dances and a couple of drinks between, the young sailors and soldiers began to get really rowdy and demanded more of the loud, raucous music. I noticed that many of the older people had left and it wasn't even ten o'clock when I leaned over and half-shouted into Dana's ear, "Ready to go? I know it's early but this music is giving me a headache."

We were sitting at the otherwise-empty table, having sat out three songs waiting for something we could dance to. "Yes, may as well," she agreed, setting down her half-full glass, picking up her purse and standing. I laid her shawl around her shoulders then escorted her out of the hall. As we paused next to the valet and I was about to ask him to flag us a cab, a familiar baritone voice called out from behind us, "Scully, wait!"

Together we turned, Dana's hand still curled around my arm, to see Mulder coming towards us down the sidewalk with both hands shoved in the front pockets of his black jeans. I noted that his hair and the shoulders of his black leather jacket were damp, clear evidence that he'd been out here in the rain earlier. "What do you want?" she snapped with righteous annoyance. "What are _you_ doing here? Didn't you have something else to do tonight?"

He slowed to a walk as he reached us and stopped to look at me. "Do you mind if I speak to my partner alone?"

"I don't mind, but she might," I said, fighting a grin as I looked down at her and winked with the eye Mulder couldn't see. "Hope you brought your weapon if she does."

"If I don't, I know you'll just make a fuss," she snapped at Mulder, letting go of my arm. "I'll be right back, Walter."

He led her over to the corner of the building and they stepped around it out of my sight although I could still see the skirt of Dana's black dress glinting in the moonlight. I moved silently towards the building, seating myself on a wrought-iron bench on the other side of the decorative bushes that they were behind so I could hear every word without them seeing me.

"Make it quick, Mulder; Walter and I were going out for a drink," Scully said with clear impatience in her voice. This was news to me but I just grinned and shook my head. Here was one woman who knew exactly how to play this man like a fish on the end of the line when she put her mind to it.

"Oh, having a good time are we?" he snapped back. "I saw him kiss you and you two all cuddled up on the dance floor—"

"_What?!_ Walter never kissed me and even if he had it's none of your business. What are you doing spying on us, Mulder?" she said with what sounded like real anger. That or she was a better actress than I gave her credit for.

"I saw you! Twice! You were sitting at the table and leaned together and kissed."

"You _idiot! _ We were just leaning towards each other because it was so loud we couldn't hear each other when we tried to talk!"

"Well, you were dancing _awfully_ close for just friends," he sneered.

"You didn't answer my earlier question—what in the _hell_ are you doing spying on us? What gives you the right?"

"I—I, uh, wanted to—I had, uh—"

"And didn't you have something else to do tonight? The reason you couldn't bring me and Walter was kind enough to step in at the last minute? Don't tell me you cancelled on someone else, too!"

"I didn't have anything to do, Scully. I was just embarrassed that I forgot," he said with real regret in his voice. "I should have swallowed my pride and come with you. I'm really sorry I didn't after watching you dance. Jesus, you are so beautiful tonight."

"Really." That flat, cold voice again. "Is that what you dragged me off to tell me? It certainly could have waited until Monday morning. Walter's waiting and I'm certainly not going to leave him standing by the curb all night."

A pause, then, "No. I wanted to _show_ you this."

There was silence for a few moments and I wondered what in the hell was going on before it hit me what he'd likely done. I couldn't resist and carefully leaned forward to peer around the bush—sure as hell, Mulder had her pulled against him with his arms around her waist and was kissing the hell out of her. And Scully certainly wasn't resisting; her shawl was half off her shoulders and she had her arms up and wrapped around his neck like a dying man holding onto a life preserver. A few slender tendrils of hair had come loose from her coif and trailed down her neck but neither noticed.

I sat back, smiling. After having talked to her about their relationship earlier I was untroubled by seeing this kiss; I knew that if things did go further, as they most likely would soon if not tonight, it wouldn't make a difference on the job and that was mainly what I was concerned about. If he didn't fuck this up as he was wont to do, Mulder was going to be one very lucky man to have her as more than his partner.

A short time later they came wandering around the side of the building, not touching but walking so that her shoulder brushed his arm. I noticed that her shawl was back in place although it seemed that her lipstick had magically disappeared. "Walter, do you mind if Mulder takes me home?" Dana said, giving me a small close-mouthed smile. Her eyes were sparkling even in the semi-darkness as we were outside the lights of the entrance and the brightness thrown from inside through the tall glass window-walls. "He's got his car parked nearby."

"No, not at all," I said, getting to my feet with hands on my knees.

But as I made to turn away Dana came over to me, put one hand on my shoulder, and reached up to kiss my cheek. "Thank you, Walter, for everything," she whispered, giving my shoulder a squeeze. "I won't forget this."

"Neither will I," I murmured as I watched her walk back to Mulder. He nodded at me, a small wry smile on his face as they turned away, disappearing behind a decorative hedge that flanked the sidewalk which led away from the building. Ignoring the hovering valet for the moment I moved to where I could see them and saw that he now had his arm around her shoulders, her head resting against him as they walked slowly along the concrete which was still damp from the earlier rain. The skirt of her jet-black dress almost merged with the night, only the shininess of the material making it visible as it swayed along. I watched as they went from darkness to a pool of light and then paused beneath the streetlight for a brief kiss, his hand wrapped around the back of her head and one of hers cupping his face. Then they continued on, disappearing into the night.

_finis_


End file.
